Cop slain in Cogeo; 2 bystanders wounded

A rookie policeman was killed by gunmen on a motorbike about 300 meters away from his station Saturday morning in Cogeo, Antipolo City. The shooting which took place on a highway also wounded two bystanders.

City chief of police Supt. Ericson Dilag identified the fatality as PO1 Elmer Tuliao, 34, who was assigned at the Rizal Provincial Public Safety Company which has a detachment in Cogeo.

Tuliao was driving his motorcycle on Marcos Highway around 7:45 a.m. to report for work when he was ambushed, Dilag said.

He noted that the attack had the mark of a professional as it was carried out on a busy thoroughfare in broad daylight and not far from the very police station where their target was going. “If it’s your first time to kill, you don’t do that. It’s too risky,” Dilag said.

Two bystanders, Edwin Sayson, 34, and Felisito Sano, 56, were both hit by stray bullets in the leg and were rushed to the hospital, SPO1 Rivina Rafael of the Provincial Police Office said.

Dalig said that according to the slain officer’s relatives, Tuliao had been receiving death threats for the past several months from “personal enemies” and that the motive for the attack may not be related to his work in the police. Kristine Felisse Mangunay